Sex workers in Europe face high levels of violence, discrimination and human rights abuses. Policies and laws that directly affect sex workers are often developed without consulting them, making them ever more vulnerable socially and legally. Discrimination takes place in health and social care, housing, employment, education, administrative law, and criminal justice systems.

In response, sex workers, their organisations and their allies are uniting to end discrimination and criminalisation. Ten years ago, the Declaration on the Rights of Sex Workers in Europe was launched in the European Parliament. Signed by 120 sex workers and 80 allies from 30 European countries, it identifies the human, labour and migrant rights that international law grants to all, including sex workers.

To mark the declaration’s 10th anniversary, the International Committee on the Rights of Sex Workers in Europe (ICRSE) will launch a report reflecting on ten years of developments in Europe’s laws and policies as well as the thriving self-organisation of sex workers. ICRSE will present this report, and host a panel discussion with sex workers, MEPs, academic and civil society to consider the growing evidence against criminalisation of sex work and in favour of a rights-based approach to sex work.